The Transference

C40

I'm the first person to arrive at the auditorium, well, second, Dean is there already waiting. He is the first thing I notice when I enter. His back is to me but I catch a glimpse of the sheet of paper in his hand. He looks like he's practicing his speech. He doesn't look like someone that needs to go over things again to get it right. He's an alien for fuck sake and not just an alien, a deity.

"Hey!" I call as I walk down the stairs.

He flinches and looks back. I can't believe I got him. He must have been so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't hear me come in or catch my scent.

"Cami, h-hey," he says with a nervous chuckle as I watch him fold the paper and put it inside his chest pocket.

I squint and thinking that isn't weird at all.

"Hey," I repeat when I get down the aisle stairs and go stand in front of the stage, where Dean is standing.

"The assembly isn't due until..." He trails off and raises his hand to check his wristwatch. "Thirty minutes." He drops his hand and looks at me. "What are you doing here?"

I shrug and fold my arms across my chest. "Don't talk like that, it makes me think you don't want to see me," I tease and turn serious, "I came to ask you for something."

He cocks his eyebrows at me, making his eyes look tired. "Hmm..."

I raise my eyebrow and say, "hmm? What does hmm mean?"

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. He answers, "it's just strange that you came to ask me for something."

I roll my eyes. "I have no idea what that means because I always ask you for something."

He chuckles. "Sure you do," I frown at his sarcasm and he reads my expression. He straightens his posture. "Cami, you never ask for permission, you just do your thing. Pardon me for finding this strange."

I pout to show that I'm annoyed. "Whatever you say, don't forget that I hate you," I tell him and sigh to calm myself. I'm here to ask him for a favor not annoy him. "Anyway, I'm here to tell you to let Penelope back on the team, would be preferable if she plays tonight."

His eyes goes wide, obviously not expecting that. "Are you okay?" He asks, taking a step forward and placing the back of his hand on my forehead to check my temperature. "Are you all right?" Concern spreads all over his face.

I push his hand off my forehead and glare at him. "Am I seriously that bad that I can't ask you for something that simple?"

He shakes his head. "I don't mean that you're bad but you and Penelope have been in my office so many times to make me realize that there's no hope for the two of you to be civil with each other. I'm just surprised is all."

"Haven't you heard that Penelope and I are besties now? We made up at the cafeteria earlier. We apologized and hugged in front of everyone, so yeah, it's official."

He blinks and watched me carefully. He parts his lips but nothing comes out, it's like he doesn't know what to say or he has too much to say but doesn't know where to begin. "I won't even make any comments," he says.

"Good. Wasn't looking for comment, just that we're off dish duties and you let her back on the team."

"Why?"

I frown. "Why what?"

"Do you want me to let her back on the team? Are you, like, trying to be a decent person for once in your life?"

"Oh... That is low, even for you. Do you think it's right for your pitch black kettle to call my pot? Actually, don't answer that, I am a good person and yeah, she seems sad about it."